Flush and stop rod for toilet tank



} E. s, LASECKI FLUSH AND STOP ROD FOR TOILET TANK Oct. 20, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 20, 1956 Edmund 5. Lasck/ INVENTOR.

BY ad Oct. 20, 1959 s, s c 2,908,914

FLUSH AND STOP ROD FOR TOILET TANK Filed Dec. 20, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Edmund S. Lasecki INVENTOR.

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United States Patent 2,903,914 FLUSH nsIQr R91? Q IQ I I K Edmund 1S. Lasecki, Stevens I oint, Wis. App efio n pi nr a 1. s slaw tonn s. (;l 4- -67) This invention relates to improvements in a mechanism for toilet flush tanks and more particiilarly to .a device usual but when desired, enables the userto stop thewater,

flow from the tank -by seating the bulb valve. In the event only a small quantity of water is needed for a single flush, .all that is necessary is to raise the handle-or otherwise manipulate the handle in such a manner as to cause ordinary flushing of the toilet and when the desired flow of water is obtained, move the handle to the opposite direction'causing a positive shutting liof the water flow from the ilushtank' to the toilet A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the nature described above wherein it automatically constitutes a means to stop dripping caused by an improperly seated flush tank bulb, this being achieved by merely tapping the handle slightly in a downward direction when an upward direction motion of the handle is used for ordinary flushing.

A further and important object of the invention is to provide a mechanically simplified device to serve the above described functions whereby the device is commercially acceptable. -I am aware of prior inventions dealing with flush tanks and the machanisrns therein in order to serve a number of purposes. Very often such inventions are not commercially successful for the reason that they are too complicated and are impractical either from a manufacturing or installation or maintenance standpoint. My invention is simple and practical and serves purposes which justify the installation thereof either as original equipment or as a replacement part in the ordinary mechanisms which are now in use.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein I like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of a common type of flush tank mechanism in a flush tank and having a flush and stop rod in accordance with the invention mounted therein;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the rod in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary elevational view of a modification of the rod in a flush mechanism;

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 3; V

Figure 5 is an elevational view of a further modification of the invention;

2,908,914 Patented Oct. 20, 1959 2 ,Figure 6, is a sectional View taken-on-the line 6-6 ofFigureSf Figure 7 is a further modification of the invention;

I igure 8 is a sectional view taken .on the line 8-8 of Figure7."

In the accompanying drawings there is a flush tank 1010f ordinary construction and which includes within the walls thereof a flush mechanism 12 which is 01!- erated by 'a handle 14. Whenflushingthe toilet the handle 14 is depressed thereby lifting beam 16 pulling the tank bulb 18 oh its seat '20. i In the ordinary con struction that .allows the water stored in the tank tobe discharged through pipe 22 in order to be flushed into thet'oilet bowl for 'the'p'urpose of emptying and then refilling 'fthetr ap in the bowl. Other standard in the tank'aresupplied'but are notdes'cribedin detail inasmuch "as the inventionldeals with a substitute flush and stoplrod, an example rod' 2i4. which takes the placeof the means generally used for elevating the bulb 18 from its seatzoi jliod24 (FigureZ) consists of shanks 25 and 2 6, the former being straight and the latterha-ving a hook 28 at its ppe [end- The shanks "are united by fitting snugly in a flexible connection 30' which in this instance, coinprises a rubber bf flexible plastic sleeve 32 having a bore 34. The confronting ends alnd.36 of shanks' 25 and 26 arespaced from each other in the resilient sleeve32 eration off-the flush mechanism 12;

' Beam 16 is provided with a plurality of holes .37 and the hook 281s inserted in saseleeted hole. The lower spasms of r2 sp ed throu a i e so wh h is'inthe form of acantilever41 having an eye'at one end and a collar 42 at the opposite end which is vertically slidable on overflow tube 39 of the hush tank mechanism. Setscrew 44 in collar 42 bears against the surface of tube 39 in order that a selected vertical adjustment of the guide may be obtained and held.

Attention is now invited to Figures 3 and 4 wherein there is another embodiment of the invention. Instead of having rod 24 in the flush tank mechanism fragmentarily represented in Figures 3 and 4, there is a difierent form of the rod 50 and its is, too, made of two shanks 51 and 52 respectively with the shank 51 having a hook 54 at its upper end in order to fit in one of the holes 37 in beam 16. The ends of the shanks 51 and 52 are spaced from each other and are passed into a coil spring 56. The coil spring ends are Welded or otherwise attached to the upper and lower shanks 51 and 52 at places spaced from the spaced confronting ends therof. Both the assembly and operation of this embodiment of the invention are the same as the embodiment of Figure 2.

Attention is now directed principally to Figures 5 and 6 where there is a further modification of the invention in the form of rod 60. Rod 60, again, is made of two shanks 61 and 62, however, the ends do not confront inasmuch as parts of the shanks are parallel to each other. The shank 61 has a hook 63 at its upperv end passed through one of the holes 37 in beam 16 and has an eye 64 at the opposite end which protrudes laterally fromthe longitudinal axis of the shank 61 but in a direction directly opposite to the direction of lateral protrusion for hook 63. Eye 65 protrudes from an intermediate part of shank 61 and is parallel and coaxial with eye 64. Shank 62 has an eye 67 at its upper end which is on the upper side of eye 65. The shank 62 passes through the guide 40 and also passes through the eye 64.

In Figure 7 the last illustrated embodiment consists of a rod 70 which has two shanks 71 and 72. The shank 71 has a U-shaped upper part 73 which functions as a hook because it passes through one of the holes 37 in the I so) that there will be some bending possible during the opbeam 16 and suspends the shank therefrom. The lower extremity of one side of the U-shaped hook on shank 71 has a laterally extending eye 74 through which the other shank 72 passes. The lowermost end of shank 71 has a lateral extension 75 with an eye 76 at its extremity, eye 76 being in parellel relationship to eye 74 and coaxial therewith so that shank 72 may also pass therethrough. Shank 72 is also passed through the guide 40 and has an eye 77 at its upper extremity and on the side of eye 74 opposite to the guide 40.

Shanks 25, 52, 62 and 72 have their lower ends threaded as at 78 in order to connect to the flush tank bulb 18, the latter being formed with a threaded bore in an insertor formed in some other way to accommodate a threaded shank.

In operation of all of the embodiments of the invention, when the flush mechanism is used in the customary manner, the beam 16 is elevated in response to movement of handle 14 and through any of the rods illustrated and all others within the purview of the invention, the bulb 18 is lifted thereby allowing an ordinary flush cycle. The flexible connections yield permitting the tank to be flushed in the normal way. Such a yielding is shown in the dotted line representation of Figure 1. However, since there is a drive connection established between the bulb 18 and the beam 16 through the agency of all of the embodiments of the invention, when the handle 14 is manipulated in the opposite direction the flush tank bulb 18 may be positively reseated.

In connection with the embodiments of Figures -8 inclusive, the lifting of the shanks 62 and 72 is occasioned by lifting of the eyes 65 and 74 respectively. The return of the bulb when desired, is occasioned by a downward force applied by the eyes 64 and 76 directly onto the flush tank bulb 18.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. For use in a flush tank which has a movable beam and a bulb, a flush tank rod comprising a first shank having a hook at the upper extremity, said beam being provided with a plurality of apertures near one end thereof, said hook being disposed in a selected aperture, a second shank having threads at one end which are engaged with said bulb, flexible, elastic means on confronting ends of said shanks for establishing a drive connection between said shanks when said shanks are moved in either direction, and said flexible elastic means being elongate and having a bore in which said confronting ends of said shanks are disposed.

2. The flush tank rod of claim 1 wherein said drive connecting establishing means consists of a sleeve like rubber body with said bore having a uniform diameter between its ends.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,420,948 Rathbun June 27, 1922 1,660,749 Haas Feb. 28, 1928 1,777,553 Crane Oct. 7, 1930 2,625,691 Clifton Jan. 20, 1953 2,737,665 Moss Mar. 13, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 149,045 Australia Dec. 13, 1952 651,102 Great Britain Mar. 14, 1951 

